Tactics
SV Darmstadt 98 have struggled since returning to the Bundesliga, with a 1-0 defeat to Eintracht at Deutsche Bank Park setting the trend early on. With the first half of the season now in the rear-view mirror, the newly-promoted team have ten points from 17 matches and are rooted to the bottom of the table, with 44 goals conceded into the bargain.
Coach Torsten Lieberknecht favours a 3-4-1-2 formation and is looking forward to the local derby against Eintracht, saying: “We’re all itching to get going – and that includes me. I want to make sure my team taps into the emotions of the occasion. And if we’re going to have a proper derby atmosphere, we need to be firing on all cylinders out on the pitch.”
Absentees
Darmstadt will be without Marvin Mehlem, Fraser Hornby, Braydon Manu, Mathias Honsak and Aaron Seydel, who are all injured. Fabian Nürnberger has started working with the rest of the squad again, and Lieberknecht will decide on whether to include him or not after the final training session.
Frankfurt’s Farès Chaibi, Omar Marmoush and Ellyes Skhiri are away representing their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Sebastian Rode and Timothy Chandler are back in the matchday squad once again after their long injury lay-offs.
One to watch: Tim Skarke
Tim Skarke joined Darmstadt in 2019 and his performances with the Lilies, as they are known, saw 1. FC Union Berlin take an interest. The 1.81-metre centre forward moved to the capital and made six appearances for his new club before going out on loan for a season to FC Schalke 04. Now he is back in Darmstadt, again on loan.
• This season, the 27-year-old has scored six goals and assisted another two.
• Previously, Skarke was more at home on the right side of the attack, but Lieberknecht prefers to play him through the middle.
• He made his debut for the Germany U21 team in September 2017 under coach Stefan Kuntz.
Top stats
Winning run: Eintracht have won their last three matches against Darmstadt, who have not beaten the Eagles in seven years now. Desperate for a win: The Lilies have failed to record a victory in their last ten Bundesliga matches. Their most recent win dates all the way back to early October, when they squeezed past FC Augsburg 2-1. No other Bundesliga team has gone this long without tasting victory.
Match info
Kick-off: Saturday 20 January, 15:30 CET, Bundesliga, MD 18
Stadium: Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, Darmstadt.
